Work

August 1, 2007 | Filed Under Main |

I have to fire an employee tomorrow. It’s been inevitable for some time but the situation finally came to a head today.

I’ve had to do this before. Not often but more than once at each job I’ve held. This would be the third time at this particular job (it would have been more but one woman quit first). This is part of my job. I’m management. My job is to insure that my department runs effectively and serves the other departments. There is responsibility in my job. It’s not pleasant. There is no glee or power trip. The person I have to fire is actually a nice guy – he just can’t do the job. There is work he should be doing that I’m doing instead because he can’t (or doesn’t) step up. Therefore, I can’t get to MY work since I’m spending time doing his. I have held off as long as I can and tried to teach him what needs to be done. It is just not working and there has to be an end.

Facts of life really. But it still sucks. And I will be sleeping less tonight in preparing for tomorrow.

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2 comments so far
  1. Mike August 2, 2007 9:18 am

    Take it from someone who has either had to fire or lay-off numbers in the dozens…it is never fun or easy, just a part of the job of the boss. That is why I try to keep a fair distance between myself and my employees, as well as others at the college. That makes me seem like a cold SOB to most people here, but who cares. As Dylan said in the song about Ruben Carter,”Its my work, and I do it for pay, and when I’m done, I’d just as soon be on my way.”

  2. mburma August 3, 2007 6:50 pm

    You notice that too, huh? It’s too complicated to be in a management position and get close to people. Even if they are not directly under you, you can be involved in ALL the firm’s business. So you can be sitting at a management meeting and someone starts talking about letting a person you know - and like - go. Do you warn them? No - you can’t. So how friendly are you really?

    Business is business. You have to keep it separate.